Environmental Effects:
Due to the more natural form of CNG, it is preferred by many environment conscious consumers over gasoline in running vehicles. CNG reduces emissions of harmful gases like carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide by huge percentages.
Moreover, burning of CNG expels lower amounts of carcinogenic particles into the air. Burning gasoline on the other hand produces large amounts of CO and CO2 which leads to the greenhouse effect, commonly known as global warming.
Cost and Maintenance:
In most cases, CNG costs fifteen to forty percent less than the regular gasoline. However, the cost of CNG-powered vehicles are discovered to be about $3,500 more than the gasoline-powered ones. This is due to the high price of CNG fuel cylinders.
On the good side, since CNG-powered vehicles are increasing in popularity, prices are expected to become lower in the future.
In terms of miles per gallon, a regular gasoline-powered car averages thirty two miles per gallon while a CNG-powered car averages forty three miles per gallon.
Lastly, the car oil in a CNG-powered car does not need to be changed as often as the gasoline-powered counterpart because of the cleaner burning ability of CNG.
Functioning and Performance:
Recent studies show that CNG has a higher octane rating than regular gasoline. Higher octane rating means higher and better engine performance. CNG-powered vehicles can overpower a gasoline-powered vehicle’s acceleration and speed.
Safety Concerns:
CNG is safer to use than gasoline because of its low chance of flammability. Although CNG is flammable, chances are slim since it is lighter than air which means it can scatter very fast. CNG can only be flammable when the concentration of the air is five to fifteen percent natural gas which is not likely to happen in most cases.
Availability and Accessibility:
Both CNG and gasoline are widely available worldwide. The United States of America brings about 25% of the world’s natural gas production while Saudi Arabia has the most production of crude oil and petroleum.
However, while gasoline can only be accessed through authorized refilling stations, CNG can be refilled at the comforts of one’s own home. A machine named “Phill” was invented in California in 2005 by the Fuel Maker Corporation. Phill allows car owners to refuel overnight in their own homes using their household natural gas line.